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Ticker: price and year-over-year change for 40 genres. Price is the median estimated first-year revenue of indie paid launches. The change shows for genres with 100+ launches. The same figures are on the Genres page.

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on 3 Oct 2026

Niches / Cute + Sandbox

Niche

Cute + Sandbox

Games tagged both Cute and Sandbox: 134 indie paid launches, 20 of them earned $100k+ in their first year.

How to read this page

  • A hit is an estimated $100k+ first year. Revenue is estimated from Steam reviews, so read figures as "about". Earnings are sales on Steam after discounts and regional prices, before Steam's 30% cut, refunds and sales tax. About 58% of it reaches the developer.
  • Price moves the odds more than genre does, so the page opens on one price band. The keys in section 2 switch it.
  • From 26,291 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 3 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Showing Cute + Sandbox priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats Cute and is about level with Sandbox; priced $10 to $20 it is too small to compare with Cute and is too small to compare with Sandbox.

1Scoreboard: the pair against each of its tags

The pair's chance of a $100k+ first year beside each of its two tags, ranked like a high-score table, with typical earnings and the launches behind every figure.

ScoreboardDoes this pair beat its genres?$10 to $20

Cute + Sandbox is too small to compare with Cute and is too small to compare with Sandbox: 9 of its 28 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 18.3 in 100 for Cute and 32.8 in 100 for Sandbox.

Small sample: 28 launches, 9 hits.

TIETied
Tag onemood tagCute
18.3in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds18.3 in 100
Typical earnings$10,817
Launches563 / 103 hits
Pair against ittoo few hits to compare
TIEA tie
This pairCute + Sandbox
9 of 28launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds9 of 28 launches
$1k+24 of 28 launches
$10k+16 of 28 launches
Launches28 / 9 hits
Expected20.4 in 100
TIEA tie
Tag twoSandbox
32.8in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds32.8 in 100
Typical earnings$30,251
Launches360 / 118 hits
Pair against ittoo few hits to compare
All indie launches $10 to $20: 20.4 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $10,978, from 4,304 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Cute is a mood tag: GMD never ranks it alone, but every game carrying it is counted.

2Overlap: where the two tags meet

Each circle is one tag, sized by its launches, and the gold overlap is exactly this pair. Click a part to read it. Price changes the odds more than genre does (under $5: 0.4 in 100 launches earned $100k+; $20 to $40: 44.2 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 28 games tagged both Cute and Sandbox priced $10 to $20. 9 of 28 of them earned $100k+, against 17.6 in 100 for Cute-only games and 32.8 in 100 for Sandbox-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Cute alone and is too small to compare with Sandbox alone.

Both: 28 games priced $10 to $20; 9 of 28 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 24 of 28 launches · $10k+ 16 of 28 launches · $100k+ 9 of 28 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 28 launches. The outer parts are each tag's launches minus the pair's, so their chance is exact; their typical earnings are not computed yet.

3Comparables

Who leads this pair and each of its tags. Free until launch: one click opens the card. The full comparables list (nearest hits by tag pair, price and launch year) is not computed yet, and the card says so.

Comparables

Leaders

Top earner, share of the moneyFree until launch

Tiny Gladeleads this pair29.2%
PairTiny Glade29.2%
CuteHello Kitty Island Adventure5.1%
SandboxManor Lords23.1%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkAudience split. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: moves the answer. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Cute + Sandbox

What this card holds

  • Leaders. The top earner in this pair and in each of its two tags, with its share of the money.
  • One-hit check. Whether a single game holds over half of the pair's money.
  • Nearest hits. Similar games that earned $100k+, matched by tag pair, price and launch year: not computed yet.

How the list will be picked

Same tag pairdata ready
Same price banddata ready
Launched within a year of each otherplanned
Earned $100k+planned
The list itselfnot computed yet

Free until launch: one click opens the card.

The leaders, in words

  • Tiny Glade earned 29.2% of the estimated first-year money of the 134 Cute + Sandbox launches.
  • Cute is led by Hello Kitty Island Adventure, with 5.1% of its money.
  • Sandbox is led by Manor Lords, with 23.1% of its money.
  • No game holds over half of this pair's money, so the pair is not a one-hit market.

Nearest hits (similar games that earned $100k+, matched by tag pair, price and launch year): not computed yet.

Filters do not apply here yet. Leaders and shares are for all prices and the Standard view; per price band and per lens they are not computed yet.

4Lens check: does the answer hold?

The same figures with three kinds of games set aside: games mostly reviewed in Chinese, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Cute + Sandbox is audience split: West-facing view moves the answer more than chance alone would. It holds in Without the breakout and Last 18 months.

Cute + Sandbox through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view132 of 134 launchesWithout the breakout133 of 134 launchesLast 18 months51 of 134 launches
Launches counted13420 hits13218 hits13319 hits518 hits
Earned $100k+14.9 in 10013.6 in 10014.3 in 10015.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$1,622top tenth $204,134+$1,571$1,571under 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base-8.6%1.3 fewer in 100-4.3%0.6 fewer in 100+5.1%0.8 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base-3.1%$51 less-3.1%$51 lessunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewMoves the answerHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Cute and Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 134 launches.

Launches counted
13420 hits
Earned $100k+
14.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,622top tenth $204,134+
Chance against standard
the base
Typical against standard
the base
West-facing viewMoves the answer

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 2 of 134 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
13218 hits
Earned $100k+
13.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,571
Chance against standard
-8.6%1.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-3.1%$51 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Tiny Glade (29.2% of the money): 133 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
13319 hits
Earned $100k+
14.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,571
Chance against standard
-4.3%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-3.1%$51 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 51 of 134.

Launches counted
518 hits
Earned $100k+
15.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
+5.1%0.8 more in 100
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Cute and Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 134 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 2 of 134 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout
Drops the single biggest earner, Tiny Glade (29.2% of the money): 133 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 51 of 134.

Cute is audience split +1: West-facing view moves the answer more than chance alone would, and 1 more lens too. It holds in Without the breakout.

Cute through every lens, all prices
CuteBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view3,654 of 3,829 launchesWithout the breakout3,828 of 3,829 launchesLast 18 months1,116 of 3,829 launches
Launches counted3,829221 hits3,654202 hits3,828220 hits1,11677 hits
Earned $100k+5.8 in 1001 in 175.5 in 1001 in 185.7 in 1001 in 176.9 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings$641top tenth $32,649+$661$641$632
Chance against standardthe base-4.2%0.2 fewer in 100-0.4%no change+19.5%1.1 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+3.1%$20 more0.0%no change-1.4%$9 less
Does it hold?The base viewMoves the answerHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Cute, 12 to 36 months old: 3,829 launches.

Launches counted
3,829221 hits
Earned $100k+
5.8 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings
$641top tenth $32,649+
Chance against standard
the base
Typical against standard
the base
West-facing viewMoves the answer

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 175 of 3,829 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
3,654202 hits
Earned $100k+
5.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings
$661
Chance against standard
-4.2%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+3.1%$20 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hello Kitty Island Adventure (5.1% of the money): 3,828 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
3,828220 hits
Earned $100k+
5.7 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings
$641
Chance against standard
-0.4%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,116 of 3,829.

Launches counted
1,11677 hits
Earned $100k+
6.9 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$632
Chance against standard
+19.5%1.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
-1.4%$9 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Cute, 12 to 36 months old: 3,829 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 175 of 3,829 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout
Drops the single biggest earner, Hello Kitty Island Adventure (5.1% of the money): 3,828 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,116 of 3,829.

Sandbox holds in West-facing view, Without the breakout and Last 18 months. No lens moves the chance or typical earnings more than chance alone would.

Sandbox through every lens, all prices
SandboxBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,173 of 1,220 launchesWithout the breakout1,219 of 1,220 launchesLast 18 months386 of 1,220 launches
Launches counted1,220206 hits1,173194 hits1,219205 hits38665 hits
Earned $100k+16.9 in 10016.5 in 10016.8 in 10016.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$2,007top tenth $290,975+$2,070$1,992$2,439
Chance against standardthe base-2.1%0.3 fewer in 100-0.4%0.1 fewer in 100-0.3%no change
Typical against standardthe base+3.1%$63 more-0.7%$15 less+21.5%$432 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 1,220 launches.

Launches counted
1,220206 hits
Earned $100k+
16.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,007top tenth $290,975+
Chance against standard
the base
Typical against standard
the base
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 47 of 1,220 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,173194 hits
Earned $100k+
16.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,070
Chance against standard
-2.1%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+3.1%$63 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Manor Lords (23.1% of the money): 1,219 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1,219205 hits
Earned $100k+
16.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,992
Chance against standard
-0.4%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.7%$15 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 386 of 1,220.

Launches counted
38665 hits
Earned $100k+
16.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,439
Chance against standard
-0.3%no change
Typical against standard
+21.5%$432 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 1,220 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 47 of 1,220 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout
Drops the single biggest earner, Manor Lords (23.1% of the money): 1,219 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 386 of 1,220.

A lens moves the chance only when it differs from standard by more than a random cut of the same size would, with 5+ hits on both sides; typical earnings are compared from 100 launches, within 25%. Without the breakout moves the answer when one game earned over half the money. Lens figures by price band are not computed yet, so this table is for all prices.

5Premium early list

Alerts when Cute + Sandbox moves, comparables the day they land, and every lens for every pair and price. Free until launch.

Free until launch

Keep gold access after launch: alerts, comparables, every lens.

Releases

Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.